Company’s Sock Donation Warms Hearts And Feet

KATHLEEN BOLUS, STAFF WRITERDecember 19, 2018

A national company is helping the Voluntary Action Center keep feet warm throughout the region this winter. The Bombas Sock Co. donated 4,750 socks to the center’s Sock It To Us drive. While coats and other cold-weather gear is the focus of many winter donation drives, Voluntary Action Center has focused on feet for more than 10 years, said Nancy Post, director of volunteer initiatives. “We discovered years ago that socks are the most highly prized things to receive at homeless shelters and they don’t receive very many of them,” Post said. This season, the center received around 5,000 pairs of socks in community donations and is thankful to be able to provide even more socks this year. Many of the donated socks have gone to organizations including the Women’s Resource Center, Community Intervention Center, Meals on Wheels and the Day Nursery, among other groups. For the homeless shelters, the VAC puts aside thicker, more durable pairs of socks. Similarly, the socks donated from Bombas are specifically made for those “who don’t have the luxury of putting on a clean pair of socks every day,” according to the website. The darker-colored socks don’t need to be washed often and feature reinforced seams that give them greater durability, according to Bombas. The VAC is planning to distribute the Bombas socks to needy groups on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January. “For us, having 10,000 pairs to distribute is just amazing,” said Brian Dougherty, VAC board treasurer, adding Bombas “already sent me paperwork for next year. It’s almost like they’ve committed to us.” Monsignor Joseph P. Kelly echoed Post. “Socks are the No. 1 most needed item for people that are both homeless and those also who just simply are living in one-room apartments and don’t have laundry facilities,” said Kelly, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen’s executive director. “They’re on their feet a lot more than most of us are and out in the weather.” The kitchen will be giving out socks on Christmas Day, some of which are Bombas brand, he added. The VAC mobilizes volunteers to solve community problems, said Post, and is both the facilitator and referral agency between many local volunteer and charity programs. VAC hosts many programs for elderly adults along with drug and alcohol prevention and Big Brothers, Big Sisters. To donate socks, visit the VAC at 829 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, or contact 570-347-5616. For details on the center, visit www.vacnepa.org; for the soup kitchen, visit www.stfranciskitchen.org. Contact the writer: kbolus@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5114; @kbolusTT on Twitter